In 2015, a version of this image graced the cover of the New Zealand Lonely Planet Guide. Inside the issue the district of Taranaki was named the number two travel destination in the world. Now, I love Taranaki. It is easily my favourite part of New Zealand, and I would move here in a heartbeat. However, it is so sad to see what the popularity of this image has done to the area.
I've been thinking a lot about the ethics of instagram over the last year or so, especially when it comes to travel and hiking photography. Seeing how people interact with this place in particular made me incredibly uncomfortable. I feel very strongly that your photo should not be more important than the environment you are photographing, but many people don't feel the same.
I watched people leave the boardwalks, and encourage each other to do the same. I've heard stories about people standing (and swimming) in the tarn. I've seen the garbage and dead plants left behind, and talked to locals, and to those entrusted with the care of the park who are incredibly sad and discouraged by how the spot is treated by photographers. I wish there was a way to educate people more on responsible travel, or an easy way to remind photographers that instagram isn't more important than the real world.
Do you agree? And to further the question, should we exercise more caution when photographing and publicly posting about a place that is popular and also environmentally fragile?
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